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  1. Rangers director James Easdale has had his plush home targetted by vandals. The Ibrox shareholder, who sits as a director on the plc board, called in police after discovering graffiti on the wall of the property. It is understood the words "get out" were spray painted on an outside wall of his home in the Esplanade in Greenock this month. The Rangers board have come under increasing pressure in recent days as Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley increases his control over the Ibrox club. Rangers chief executive Graham Wallace and finance director Phillip Nash stepped down within days of each other as Ashley ally Derek Llambias was appointed a consultant at the club. No-one has yet been arrested in connection with the incident and police investigations are ongoing. James Easdale and brother Sandy own a around six per cent of the club's shareholding after buying into the newco in 2012. Sandy Easdale has voting rights over around 25% of the club's shares. The Easdales also own Greenock bus firm McGills as well as other businesses, including Clydebank Taxis. A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "On October police officers responded to a complaint of vandalism at a property on the Esplanade in Greenock. "Inquiries into the incident are ongoing." http://m.stv.tv/news/west-central/297731-rangers-director-james-easdales-plush-home-targetted-by-vandals/
  2. Some more analysis from Graham McLaren on TRS: http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/current-affairs/331-what-now-for-dave-king
  3. http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/dundee/rangers-fans-fury-at-ibrox-disaster-tweet-1.653603
  4. Seven members of the Green Brigade group of Celtic fans are to stand trial next month charged with singing a pro-IRA song. They are alleged to have behaved in a way that "is likely or would be likely to incite public disorder" by singing the Roll of Honour at Celtic Park. Paul Duke (38), Ross Gallagher (30), Christopher Bateman (29) David Gallacher (23), Sean Cowden (22), Kieran Duffy (19) and Greg Robertson (29) are charged with the offence. Duke and Gallagher, both of East Kilbride, Bateman, of Irvine, Gallacher, of Glasgow, Cowden, of Rutherglen and Duffy, of Coatbridge, are accused of singing the song at the Champions League qualifier match at a Celtic against Elfsborg match on July 31, 2013. Gallagher, Bateman and Robertson, also of Glasgow, are accused of singing the song at a league match against Ross County on August 3 last year. Robertson faces the same allegation along with Gallacher in connection with match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on August 24 last year. The case against all seven - who plead not guilty - today called for a hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court. They were ordered to return for trial, which is set to start next month. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/u/seven-green-brigade-members-face-trial-over-pro-ira-song.1414595076
  5. http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/tv-radio/dj-suzie-mcguire-tried-to-take-own-life-over-abuse-1-3586627
  6. Some words on recent events from yours truly via TRS: http://www.therangersstandard.co.uk/index.php/articles/current-affairs/330-the-fog-on-the-clyde
  7. Rumours from media on Twitter: Andy Devlin ‏@AndyDev28 51s51 seconds ago BREAKING: Sandy Easdale due at Ibrox shortly for crunch talks with Ally McCoist. The Rangers boss could be hours from the sack.
  8. THE WAR is over. The retailer has won. This morning Graham Wallace will be fired from his position as Rangers chief 
executive and this crisis-ravaged club will belong lock, stock and smoking barrel to Mike Ashley. Quite what Ashley has planned for it is still a matter of conjecture but the ruthless manner in which he went about last week’s power grab certainly suggests he wants it badly and also sees a way to make a killing by rolling his tanks into Glasgow. He now has security over two 
of the club’s major assets, the 
Albion car park and Edmiston House, and when his placemen arrive in the boardroom this week he’ll have grabbed this club firmly 
by the throat. As with everything Rangers, Ashley’s arrival on the scene will be spun in a variety of ways. The dark arts were evidenced 
over the weekend when it was leaked that, without his intervention, this basketcase would have gone bust within 48 hours. There were even muffled whispers from the shadowy sidelines Ashley had in fact ‘saved the club’ but the very notion the Newcastle United chairman had ridden to Rangers rescue in some sort of philanthropic or heroic act is completely absurd. In many ways, what actually went on amid increasingly frantic 
discussions on Thursday and Friday was a throwback to May 2011 when Sir David Murray invited Craig Whyte to trigger this omnishambles and set in action the catastrophic chain of events that has now led to Ashley’s increased involvement. That deal was a great bit of 
business for Whyte and for Lloyds Bank in particular – the £18million they recouped from the sale remains the outstanding trade of the last three and a half chaotic years – but it was a spectacularly awful one for the Ibrox club. Similarly, by taking control of Rangers for the price of a £2m loan, every penny of which will be paid back, Ashley has pulled off a serious coup in more ways than one. This is why he is known as the biggest beast in the jungle but even the Newcastle owner must be laughing up the sleeve of his safari suit at the way in which he managed to pull this one off. It was typically bold and eye poppingly aggressive and it included issuing the remnants of the Rangers board with threats of legal action both collectively and individually, should they turn him down in favour of a £3m loan from Brian Kennedy. Each of these directors was warned of potentially devastating repercussions should Ashley not get his way and as a result Rangers is his now to do with as he wishes. And all for less than the cost of a Sports Direct poly bag. It was an extraordinary stunt and it’s no wonder Sale Sharks owner Kennedy left Glasgow on Saturday still unsure as to how on earth the dysfunctional Rangers board – a collection of directors who have run the business into the ground – could allow it to happen in spite of his impassioned pleas. The farce began with the rejection of Dave King’s £16m bailout offer by the mysterious bloc of shareholders whose 26 per cent voting rights are represented by Sandy Easdale. On Thursday CEO Wallace, who knew his £300,000-a-year neck was now well and truly on the line, reached out to Kennedy and pleaded with him to make a counter offer. Kennedy worked through the night with his legal team to come up with his £3m offer, dependent only on him being allowed to place one man on the current board. He flew to Glasgow at lunchtime on Friday in the hope of getting the deal done. Kennedy was wasting his jet fuel. Not one of these directors was even at Ibrox on the day it was determined Ashley should be handed the keys. The fact all these discussions were held via conference call, underlines how little feel for the club these men have. Wallace headed for a beach in Greece despite being urged by at least two key protagonists to 
postpone his holiday for 24 hours. Finance director Philip Nash went one better by resigning and washing his hands of the entire Ashley v Kennedy showdown. That Nash threw in the towel is an indication he suspected the game was up and that another director, Laxey’s lackey Norman Crighton, had jumped camps at the last minute. Crighton had voiced his concern at Ashley’s move and had even said the Cockney must be stopped ‘at all costs’ but he performed a 180-degree turn at the last minute to leave Kennedy’s proposal in tatters. Chairman David Somers is another who may have cause to be persecuted by his own conscience. At least Nash had the principle to resign from his £1,000-a-day post. While Wallace was clinging on for dear life for his pay-off, Nash wanted no part of it and this included telling Ashley’s people he was unwilling to work for their man in the event he was successful. Having previously called for the removal of Nash and Walllace, Ashley had a change of heart. It’s understood he wanted Nash on board after crediting him with making £5m worth of cuts since February. One of those cuts was to a contract worth in excess of £100,000-a-year to Ashley’s own PR firm Keith Bishop Associates. This agreement was done as part of the £1 stadium naming rights deal Ashley agreed with Charles Green and which was signed off by Imran Ahmad – who then sued Rangers for £300,000 in bonuses for all of his good work. Deals like these are precisely why Rangers should brace itself for the full impact of Ashley’s arrival. He already pockets 49 per cent of all income from merchandise sales but may think this arrangement can be tweaked and improved in his favour. With two of his men on the board, a compliant chairman and confirmed allies in James Easdale and Crighton, he can do pretty much as he pleases. The only comfort in any of this for the Rangers supporters is to be found in the depth of Ashley’s pockets. He will not allow this club to go under, that much is certain. But from here on in Rangers will be run his way and for his benefit. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/opinion/sport/keith-jackson-mike-ashleys-rangers-4515761
  9. By Chris McLaughlin & Richard Wilson BBC Scotland Rangers were 48 hours from going into administration until a £2m loan was agreed with Mike Ashley, according to one senior Ibrox source. Prospective administrators had been contacted by the Ibrox club. Newcastle owner Ashley put forward a financial package, which includes the option of a new share issue, on Friday and it was agreed on Saturday morning. And, as part of the agreement, chief executive Graham Wallace will follow director Philip Nash in stepping down. The arrangement could be finalised early next week. English businessman Ashley, who owns 8.29% of the Glasgow club's shares, had called for the removal of Nash and Wallace as part of his offer. Under Scottish FA agreement Ashley is not allowed boardroom influence or a shareholding of more than 10%. But his possible underwriting of a share issue could take his stake above that threshold if there is not enough buy-in from other investors. An alternative option could be further loans. The SFA plan to write Rangers next week seeking clarification on the loan agreement with Ashley. Rangers need a financial injection to cover wages beyond November and Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy became a surprise latecomer in the battle for control with a funding package offer of his own. In response to the news that Ashley's offer had been accepted by the board, Kennedy said he was "disappointed for Rangers" but would not be commenting further. Former director Dave King had also offered fresh funding to Rangers but could not agree a deal following talks with key shareholder Sandy Easdale and the board. Before returning to his South African business base on Thursday, King issued a statement saying that his group's offer remained on the table and that he was hopeful it would be accepted. Ashley, who already has control of Rangers' shirt sales and retail division and owns the naming rights for Ibrox Stadium, refused to back King's proposal. Sandy Easdale, who controls a 26% block of shares, also declined to agree to King's proposals. While Ashley is demanding two representatives on the board, King also wanted to choose its chairman. Nash, the former Arsenal and Liverpool executive, had been employed as a financial consultant by Rangers before joining the board in July. Wallace, currently on a family holiday in Greece, and Nash had been supportive of the bid by King's group, which includes fellow Scottish businessmen George Letham and Paul Murray. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29761396
  10. Hopefully the article provides some light relief from the circus enveloping the club Rangers’ fans from Northern Ireland have been travelling across to Scotland for their Rangers fix since 1870s and 1880′ through Ulster Protestant immigrants to Glasgow’s shipbuilding industry according to The Official Biography of Rangers Football Club. This appeared to lead into commercial trips with ferry companies of the time and later organised trips via supporters clubs after both world wars http://www.therst.co.uk/ulster-bears-a-tower-of-strength/
  11. As predicted by yours truly, Mike Ashley has moved into pole position in the race to wear the crown at Ibrox. With Dave King out of the running, despite protestations to the contrary from King himself, it looks like Rangers’ future is in the hands of the sporting goods magnate. If we are being really honest, there are no other viable options available at present. As I predicted, King took advantage of the timing factor to be first to the table in offering a package but in doing so he fell into Ashley’s carefully laid trap. In a financial gun fight between the two, King lacks the firepower and. although a wily operator, is arguably seriously deficient to Ashley when it comes to strategy and street smarts. It is believed that Ashley’s proposal entails a loan which allows him to have Rangers by the short and curlies without straying into increasing his shareholding and thus having to overcome SFA objections to this. Ashley will, it is believed, demand the removal of Philip Nash and CEO Graham Wallace, whose alignment with Dave King now looks to be an ill-thought-out manoeuvre on their part. Dave King’s ongoing involvement in the Rangers saga should now be consigned to history as it has produced nothing but unrest and uncertainty, especially among more anxious members of the support. With Sandy Easdale holding a 26% voting block of shares and purportedly a backer of Ashley over King, it looks like the Londoner’s bid for power will prevail. It is vital that Rangers fans unite behind the club now and support the team in its drive for promotion. The quicker Rangers are back competing in the top tier. the better for the whole of Scottish football, as well as Rangers in particular. It may be too much to expect Dave King and his colleagues to urge fans to back the Ashley regime at Ibtox; however, it is certainly reasonable of loyal fans to expect that King and his cronies will cease and desist from attempting to disrupt the club with pointless boycotts and petty sniping. Mike Ashley has the resources to back Rangers and make them a big club like before, even bigger. That is why it is no surprise to see the Rangers-hating press in Scotland oppose his further involvement. He also has plenty of time to become a “Rangers man” and take the club to heart. That might be more likely if those with a “**** Complex” can overcome their fears of people of high net worth and let the guy get on with building Rangers up. The inevitability of the big man in the fight overcoming the wee guy is now the scenario at Ibrox. King has made his play, sincere or not and has no other viable card to play it would appear. Ashley’s tanks are parked on Ibrox lawns and it looks like he wants to make Ibrox his base. Far better for Rangers and really bad news for the club’s enemies if the guns are pointing outward. http://billmcmurdo.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/enter-the-big-guns/
  12. I have been asked to make a personal comment on the rumour that the Rangers board is considering a loan from Mr Ashley. I don't see the offer of a short term loan by Mr Ashley affecting me in any way. Our offer is for a long term permanent solution that can take the club forward and unite the fans and the board for the first time in many years. The board is in the final stages of reviewing our offer and I expect a definitive answer early next week. Frankly, it doesn't seem possible that the board can do anything other than recommend it to shareholders given the dire financial circumstances and the fact that no other long term solution is on offer. Mr Ashley's involvement (and recently announced continued commitment) with Newcastle precludes him from making a similar offer of long term permanent equity. What Mr Ashley can do is attempt to increase his vice-like grip on the Rangers brand by improving his retail position as a condition for supplying short term debt to tide the club over until our permanent funding is in place. But I know that there are other investors also willing to provide bridging finance. The board will therefore not have to accept punitive terms even if Ashley attempts to oppose them. We must remember that the board is ethically and legally bound to act in the best interest of the company and all shareholders. Ashley can not expect preferential treatment and will not get it. I am confident that Graham Wallace and Philip Nash have enough integrity and commercial experience to do the right thing. http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sdec2h
  13. Mike Ashley moves into pole position to take control at Ibrox as Dave King bid fails http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-power-battle-mike-ashley-4499365
  14. Dave King Statement re Rangers FC It is appropriate that I give feedback to the Rangers fans before departing for South Africa. Over the last few weeks Paul Murray, George Letham and myself have constructively engaged the Rangers board and (at the request of the board) Sandy Easdale regarding our proposal to invest 16 million into the club as soon as is practically possible. When investing in any public company there are numerous regulatory and compliance requirements that have to be dealt with. There are also SFA compliance issues that arise when investing in a football club in Scotland. An obvious further complication in Rangers case is the seeming lack of authority of the Rangers board to make decisions without reference to key shareholders who appear to be “the power behind the throne”. Prior to commencing the implementation issues referred to above it is necessary to reach an in-principle agreement with the board that can then be put to shareholders. In this regard it is important to recogniser hat the so-called Easdale Block represents more than 25% of the shares in issue and could therefore block the implementation of our proposal even if recommended by the board. Likewise, a combination of other shareholders could veto our proposal. I attempted to meet with Mr Ashley on my visit but neither he, nor his colleague, Mr Bishop, acknowledged my request for a meeting. This is their right but is unfortunate given the present concerns from supporters that Mr Ashley is using his shareholder status to put pressure on the board to alienate the rights and trade mark of the club in favour of his personal interest. I will make a separate announcement and appeal to fans on this topic at the appropriate time. Our initial proposal to the board was to invest the full 16m by way of equity at 20p per share. The board requested that we consider a debt/equity mix that would reduce dilution for existing shareholders and allow the debt component to be advanced prior to the extended time frame required for the approval of additional equity. We are amenable to this and to working with the board on the mechanics necessary to ensure that this is achieved provided that the full investment is recognised by way of board representation. We wish to appoint an equal number of members to the board and have the key say regarding the appointment of the Chairperson. We will not invest funds and let the existing board determine how these funds are spent. That has not worked well in the past. In any transaction of this nature there are a number of interests to be consulted and considered. The board has apparently engaged constructively on our proposal while advancing its own points as to what it believes is in the best interest of the club and its shareholders. Sandy Easdale has similarly apparently engaged constructively including highlighting some concerns. I have today responded to these concerns in writing. He will now consult with his co-shareholders and hopefully revert soonest so that we can proceed to agreement and the earliest possible implementation thereof. Unfortunately, I have to again deal with a point that I have covered previously. Despite our agreement with the board on confidentiality (that we have strictly complied with) we were faced with the inevitable combination of truth, half-truth and fallacies peddled by Mr Irvine on behalf of his employers. He states in particular that he is voicing Sandy Easdale’s directly communicated thoughts. Sandy has assured me that this is not the case regarding his recent nonsensical utterings. On that point, I have recently had the amusement of reviewing over 100 email communications between MrIrvine and Craig Whyte during the period that Mr Irvine was attempting to advance Mr Whyte’s business interests. My review of these emails indicates to me that he carefully identifies journalists that he believes lack journalistic integrity and ability and can therefore be fed by him for the benefit of whoever pays him. I urge fans to continue to ignore the nonsense that comes from these sources. We have a lot of work to do over the next few months to regain the club. I would not be here without the support of the fans and neither would my co-investors. We are going to need to draw on your support again over the coming months.
  15. Take it with a pinch of salt, keep your fingers crossed or whatever takes your fancy, but there's been rumours in the African press for several days that Bilel Mohsni could be offski to play for Club Africain in Tunisia. See poor translations and article links below. http://fr.starafrica.com/football/mercato-bilel-mohsni-dans-le-viseur-du-club-africain.html http://www.africatopsports.com/2014/10/22/club-africain-bilel-mohsni-recrute-au-mercato-hivernal/ http://www.gnet.tn/revue-de-sport/mercato-club-africain-bilel-mohsni-dans-le-collimateur/id-menu-323.html
  16. Dave King's talks with Sandy Easdale ended without agreement. If this surprises anyone then it shouldn't.
  17. Wednesday, 22 October 2014 16:15 Games Moved For TV Written by Andrew Dickson TWO Championship games Rangers are scheduled to play in December have been selected for live television coverage. The trip to play Queen of the South has been moved forward a day to Friday, December 12 for transmission on BT Sport, with kick-off at 7.45pm. A fixture with Hibernian in Edinburgh on Saturday, December 27 remains on that date but will now start at 12.15pm rather than the original 3pm kick-off time. That match will be broadcast by Sky Sports as the Light Blues round off 2014 with a journey along the M8 to the capital. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7897-games-moved-for-tv
  18. I thought id share this with you........ Hi Don Earlier this year Robert Marshall interviewed Rangers Legend Sandy Jardine for WATP Magazine. With all of the off-field issues that go on at the club we thought it would be worth sending this out so that everyone has the chance to read the words of a True Ranger and someone who cared deeply about our club. Sadly, Sandy had a relapse of his health issues and passed on the 24th April of this year. He is greatly missed. Sandy in Royal Blue The Sandy Jardine Interview - Part 1 Sandy Jardine is one of the true legends of our proud club’s illustrious 141-year history. He is without doubt Rangers’ best right back in living memory and can be held up as one of the greatest players to have turned out in a blue jersey. Born in Edinburgh with the Christian name of William, not far away from Hearts’ Tynecastle Stadium, I first remember laying eyes on Willie Jardine (as he was then known) when we played Queen’s Park in a Glasgow Cup match at Ibrox. He scored four goals that day, something that as a 12-year-old I would never forget! It’s fair to say I was impressed. I think to put it in context, if I had to pick a greatest ever ‘World XI’ then Sandy would be my first choice, not Cafu, not Lamb, not even the great George Cohen – he was that good. Some people might disagree but I watched him all through his career at full back and I never witnessed him having a bad game. I have been lucky enough to have known Sandy for a few years now and I was delighted when he accepted our invitation to do an interview with WATP Magazine. There is always something special about speaking with one of your heroes, that little thrill separates them from us mere mortals. Sandy is recovering from a life-threatening illness and it was really nice to be able to speak with him. Sandy, first of all how is your health? “I’m coming along fine Robert, I’m looking to be back working full time next year.” I’ve always known you as a bit of a workaholic so how are you coping at home? “It’s been a bit frustrating but I’ve been working away in the garden, taking things day by day and going walks to build my strength up. Thankfully I have been able to get back to a few games now.” How did you feel when the fans were applauding you in the second minute? “It was both humbling and emotional. I’m really grateful for all the messages of support I have had from the fans. They have been excellent.” Let’s start from the beginning, how and when did you join Rangers? “I went straight from schools football to Ibrox in 1965. I used to get on the train at Haymarket in Edinburgh through to Queen Street in Glasgow and jump on the subway over to Copland Road (as Ibrox underground was known back then). I even travelled with some of the greatest legends of that era: John Greig, Jimmy Millar, Ralph Brand, and later on we were joined by the Fife lads – including Billy Mathieson, Colin Stein, Willie Johnston. It was different then.” They would have been real legends to a young lad like yourself, how did you feel travelling with them? “Oh, they were great! They were always giving me advice and always had a good story to tell.” How did it feel going up the marble staircase for the first time? “You always remember your first time going up the marble staircase. It really epitomises everything about our club – class and dignity.” Moving to on-field matters, I remember you scoring four goals against Queen’s Park in a Glasgow Cup tie as a youngster coming through, what do you remember of that? “I was playing centre forward that night, and everything just clicked for me. It seemed that every time I touched the ball it went into the net.” I remember you as ‘Willie Jardine’ then, when did you become known as Sandy? “The players started calling me it around the time I made the first team, obviously because of the colour of my hair. I’m not really sure when it became my name publicly.” You seemed to play a few different positions before you settled down at full back, how did that come about? “Well, I made my debut in February 1967 against Hearts and played at right wing half. We won 5-1 and I kept my place for the rest of the season. When Willie Waddell came, he converted me to a right full back. I felt I was suited to playing there, and was there for most of my career.” Sandy is being humble when he said the position suited him. He was the first overlapping full back I ever witnessed in Scotland and he was outstanding there. He had everything you could want – stamina, speed, superb at a standing tackle, a fantastic reader of the game who brought others into play, and he was fond of popping up with a goal. I’m not exaggerating when I say he was world class. You were well known for your fitness. How influential was Jock Wallace in that? “Big Jock was brilliant for the players. He introduced the notorious Gullane Sands, which set us up for the season. People might joke about it but there were about nine members of that team that played well into their mid-thirties, which was uncommon in those days. We attributed that to his physical conditioning methods. Jock Wallace used to be an Army PT instructor and was quite revolutionary in what he introduced in training. He even brought in a professional sprint coach, which I felt I benefitted greatly from. We always seemed to score goals in the last ten minutes of games when other sides were tiring. We put that down to our superior fitness and that was due to Jock. The players all loved him, he was honest and upfront with you.” You played over 1100 first class games in your career. Which one was your favourite? “I wouldn’t say I had favourite games. I loved playing in every one. As far as importance goes, then obviously the European Cup Winners’ Cup Final victory in Barcelona in ’72 was the pinnacle of my career. Being a member of the only Rangers side to win a European trophy is something special. I played in the 1967 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final defeat to Bayern Munich, and I never really appreciated how big an achievement it was to get that far. It made me appreciate the victory against Moscow Dynamo even more.” Barcelona is one of my finest memories as a Rangers Supporter, what do you remember of the game? “It was a really good performance from the whole team. We were 2-0 up at half time through Steiny and Bud. We came out for the second half and when Bud added a third we had the game completely in control. The Russians, who were a very good team, scored a goal near the end and added a second with about five minutes to go. It must have been the longest five minutes of my career! The only disappointment was not being able to show the fans the trophy on the night.” That was a magnificent achievement, the single greatest triumph in our history – I thought everyone was fantastic on the night, but Dave Smith in my opinion had the best game of his career. Would you pick out anyone for special praise? “Davie had a brilliant game, but the whole team was brilliant. Throughout my career I wouldn’t like to pick out individuals. We won as a team and we lost as a team. We had a great spirit about us.” Although the team was fantastic on the night, I actually thought the best single team performance in the European Cup Winners’ Cup run was the semi-final at Ibrox against Bayern Munich. What are your memories of that game? “Well we were all-square from the first leg in Germany. Over there, we took an absolute battering that night! But we limited them to one goal. They were a great team, and went on to win three European Cups in a row with half the team being West German internationals. We got our equaliser through an own goal, but strangely in the last ten minutes of the game we were chasing the winner as Jock Wallace’s training methods allowed to keep going for the full ninety minutes. The second leg at Ibrox was completely different. We were always confident of beating anyone at home. That night there was 80,000 people crammed in to Ibrox and the atmosphere was amazing – probably the best I’ve ever played in. We started very brightly, and in the second minute I gathered the ball on the right-hand side, got myself forward and managed to hit the ball with my left foot and it sailed over Sepp Maier and into the top left-hand corner. You couldn’t hear yourself think. We added a second through Derek Parlane, who had replaced John Greig after he failed a fitness test. I had never seen any German team lose self-control the way they did that night, they were even arguing on the pitch. We had really gotten to them.” You must have been so proud to have played in that team? “I was and am. It was an amazing time, playing with great players and great people.” From a personal point of view, the 1972 Cup Winners’ Cup campaign defined the Rangers team of that era for me. We took on the national cup winners of France, Italy, Portugal, West Germany and Russia - some of the biggest footballing nations in Europe. We played with a style that was suited to the European arena and Willie Waddell must take great credit for that. Players like Sandy, John Greig, Derek Johnstone, Tommy McLean, Peter McCloy, Colin Jackson, and Alex MacDonald went on to be the mainstay of the team for most of the next decade. We also had the very underrated Willie Mathieson and Alfie Conn, the sublime Dave Smith, and of course Willie Johnston and Colin Stein. Some of these players must be included amongst the greatest ever to wear a Rangers shirt. And we will leave it here for part one. We have covered Sandy’s arrival at Rangers up to Barcelona 1972. In the second part we will concentrate on his domestic successes, on leaving Rangers and all his subsequent work at the club. We will also cover the march to Hampden and his hopes for the future. I’ll reiterate, it was an absolute pleasure to interview Sandy Jardine. He’s the quintessential Rangers man and everything you would expect from someone who has represented our great club both on and off the pitch for so many years. I was impressed with him as a player since I was 12 years old, and today, I impressed with him as a man.
  19. Hamilton Academical extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership with an emphatic win over a lacklustre Aberdeen. A double from Tony Andreu set a roaring Accies on their way as they put Aberdeen to the sword with ease. And a late finish from Mikael Antoine-Curier rounded off a display that proved Alex Neil's outfit are well worth their place at the summit. The win opens up a four-point gap between them and Dundee United. Alex Neil's home side came into the match in buoyant mood, having recorded their first win at Celtic Park for 76 years in their last outing, and they looked up for it from the off, zipping the ball around with pace and confidence as they looked to stamp their authority on proceedings early on. They very nearly found an opening, as Danny Redmond picked up an Antoine-Curier pass to send in a delivery looking for Dougie Imrie but, luckily for Derek McInnes' men, Mark Reynolds was alert and able to get it behind for a corner. With the visitors struggling to find a rhythm, the Lanarkshire club continued to press, looking dangerous with every pursuit. And, they got their reward when Andreu capitalised on slack defending to open the scoring. Following a flowing team move and hesitant Aberdeen defending - with Ash Taylor failing to clear his lines - an Imrie assist gifted Andreu a simple finish. Going behind shocked Aberdeen into action, as they began to stem the flow of attacks and make strides of their own. And, they could have easily levelled terms through Adam Rooney, the ball cannoning down field allowing the striker to get himself clean through, but he scuffed his shot, making it easy for stopper Michael McGovern to mop up. Next up, David Goodwillie had his moment to shine, after Barry Robson set him up in with a pinpoint pass but the impressive McGovern again pulled off a solid save. The tide was turning, however, it still looked like Aberdeen's weak defending could be their undoing every time they were asked questions. They almost found themselves further adrift when Andrew Considine missed a ball through to give Imrie a sight at goal, but his blushes were spared by the quick thinking of Jamie Langfield, who rushed from his line to dispel the danger. Soon after, the New Douglas Park faithful were calling for a spot-kick, after Antoine-Curier juggled the ball just inside the box and claimed for a handball against Robson, only for referee Kevin Clancy to wave away protests. As half-time neared, the trailing 11 had an opportunity to restore parity when Goodwillie managed to make room on the wing and float in for the busy Rooney but he was unable to connect and, in the end, McGovern had enough time to gather. The second half started in the same frenetic fashion of the first, with both teams pushing forward with intent. And, despite Aberdeen seeming to have gained momentum after coming close with a Reynolds header that looped over, their good work was soon undone as they found themselves two down. It was Andreu at it again, rounding off a sweeping charge by slotting in an assured cutback from Redmond. That knocked the wind out of McInnes' players, and they continued to be under the cosh, young midfielder Redmond, linking well with Jesus Garcia-Tena, proving the orchestrator for much of the threat. The Reds needed a spark, and that quickly came when substitute Niall McGinn entered the fray. He was at the heart of a move that almost ended with the deficit being halved, as he headed a cross back across the box begging for a conversion, but the free Rooney could not get the vital touch. Northern Irishman McGinn then came within a whisker of netting himself courtesy of a well-struck set-piece, but he could only watch on as it sailed wide. For all that Aberdeen huffed and puffed, they could not find a way back, and the hosts rounded off a perfect evening when Antoine-Courier connected with Ali Crawford's delivery to calmly slot home, giving them their 10th win in all competitions this campaign and fifth clean sheet on the bounce. Att: 4,093 http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29563365
  20. Mike Ashley has many business interests (including Sports Direct) and they have made him a very wealthy man. When he bought Newcastle United in June 2007 and said “Newcastle attracted me because everyone in England knows that it has the best fans in football… don’t get me wrong. I did not buy Newcastle to make money. I bought Newcastle because I love football.”….it must have sounded like manna from heaven to the Newcastle support as they may have thought more along the lines of ‘Champions League’ rather than ‘Championship’. http://www.therst.co.uk/coming-soon-ashley-and-the-vanishing-revenue/
  21. Mike Ashley has been energised by the battle for Ibrox in a way that he never has by challenge of making Newcastle United competitive. On Saturday afternoon Newcastle United have their eighth crack at winning a Premier League match this season. If they swing and miss, it will be their longest winless run in the Premier League era: worse than the ill-starred 2008/9 relegation season and more desperate than the year that brought Sir Bobby Robson to Tyneside. Throw into the mix an undercooked team light on experience of a relegation battle and there can be little doubt that this is a time for minds to be focused. Even at this early stage survival appears the priority, but that cannot be taken for granted. And where is Mike Ashley? The owner’s scrutiny is not trained on the lame duck manager who is only ever one defeat away from losing further ground with a sceptical support but instead it is in a messy, protracted and potentially long-running takeover of Rangers. The Newcastle owner blew his own cover on Ibrox weeks, months or even a year or so ago. By dodging the share issue and banning a journalist who had speculated on his intentions towards Rangers, he tried the owner’s equivalent of an Ali shuffle – but the knockout punch has not yet been delivered. Rangers is going to be a slow burner for Ashley. Unlike Newcastle – where he found an owner willing to make a quick sale – there are messy and protracted battles to be fought at Ibrox with groups who are not going to relinquish their grip on a potential goldmine anytime soon. The motivation for investing in a fallen club that needs plenty of work is the promise of a potential route into the Champions League. Ashley’s mistakes have made that path impossible for Newcastle for a generation or so, but Rangers’ size and the impoverished standard of the competition give him a chance north of the border. And the Champions League gives him even greater profile than the Premier League in a sportswear market that he fancies a crack at: Europe. There are obstacles to be vaulted, of course: not least rules that state he cannot own majority stakes in clubs in both Scotland and England. But that is a hurdle to be clambered over when the time comes: the important thing is to elbow out the other prospectors sifting through the wreckage at Ibrox. Rangers is time-consuming for Ashley. It has caused him to take his eye off the ball at Newcastle and the consequences of that could yet be catastrophic for a club that appears rudderless, leaderless and entirely without hope at the moment. Ashley gutted Newcastle of people who would answer back to him. Managing director Lee Charnley owes his career to Ashley, and is hardly likely to stand up to him. We all know that Pardew will acquiesce if required. That is the way the owner wanted it – him dipping in and out of Newcastle when it suited him. Ever since Rangers became a serious interest for him, the dynamic has changed. Ashley may be more visible at Newcastle – naming himself as chairman over the course of this year – but he has not been as involved as he was before. A source I spoke to said his greatest hope was that people would run it for him, keeping it ticking along for a while. He simply doesn’t have time for Newcastle anymore. There is a shiny new toy north of the border and the fight for control at Ibrox has energised him much more than the battle to make Newcastle United competitive has. And what is unfolding north of the border is very, very messy indeed. For those still in any doubt, it is worth taking a quick journey through the coverage of Ashley’s actions north of the border. Festering worry about his intentions has given way to outright disgust at the way he has operated in the last couple of months. Just like he has with Tesco and Debenhams, Ashley has struck at a moment of weakness. That is savvy strategy from a sharp businessman, but it doesn’t mean that Rangers fans should be happy about what is happening. Not that many are, despite claims from a couple of Old Firm icons this week that Ashley might be the man to return the club to its perch. The Daily Record’s Michael Gannon wrote a withering editorial two weeks ago challenging that belief: capturing the scorched earth policy of Ashley and his unquestioning acolytes perfectly. Warning that sometimes the devil you know can be worse than the devil you don’t, he wrote: “He is simply out to bag a quick buck at Rangers.” It is a familiar theme when the subject of Ashley and the Ibrox club are brought up: money is the reason he is hanging around. Not necessarily money that will be made directly off the club’s success but more the reflected perks of owning an institution that can reasonably challenge for the Champions League in a couple of seasons with pretty minimal investment. Gannon summed up his latest power play in a couple of damning sentences. “He could have sunk in money at last month’s share issue and it would have gone to the club,” he wrote. “Instead he waited and bought out Hargreave Hale. It strengthened his position and rubbed the board’s face in it after they refused to cave in to strict demands in return for a loan.” It is Ashley to a tee. Stubborn, obstinate and looking entirely after number one. The worry is that Newcastle United’s Premier League status will become collateral in the battle for Newcastle United. http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-become-collateral-damage-7943767
  22. Wee Gordy and Mark McGhee no brainer !
  23. http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29527838 Rangers FC are omitted from the survey and calculator because they did not provide data to the BBC. Did we boycott or were just unable to respond?
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